I don't need the ushers approaching me and explaining to me how the rows are numbered from higher to lower as you get closer to the field. I can figure that out.

What I saw at Miller Park last weekend that I would like to see at USCF is an extremely friendly workforce at the concession stands that seemed to actually care and wanted to get my order to me in a timely fashion. That aspect of my experience was refreshing and something I wasn't used to.

I couldn't agree with both points more.

I think the Sox need to relook at their outsourcing of their concessions. Even when its not crowded it takes too damn long to get food. Too many people standing around and never a sense of urgency. I ordered a turkey sandwich at the carvery station down the right field line and had to wait ten minutes once they took my order. They must have had to kill the turkey first. Sure seemed to be enough bodies back there - just not enough organization or a sense of urgency. I have been to at least 15 other MLB parks and our service times are the slowest and least efficient. Even on a normal game day (20,000 fans) you should not have to lose a full inning to get food.

I think the Sox need to relook at their outsourcing of their concessions. Even when its not crowded it takes too damn long to get food. Too many people standing around and never a sense of urgency. I ordered a turkey sandwich at the carvery station down the right field line and had to wait ten minutes once they took my order. They must have had to kill the turkey first. Sure seemed to be enough bodies back there - just not enough organization or a sense of urgency. I have been to at least 15 other MLB parks and our service times are the slowest and least efficient. Even on a normal game day (20,000 fans) you should not have to lose a full inning to get food.

I filled out the most recent online fan survey a couple of weeks ago and said the same thing in the comments section. Friendliness or lack thereof isn't a problem at the concession stands, just the lack of efficiency. The one stand that's I've found that's run well is the premium beer stand in the lower deck left-field corner. They have a large menu of beers but they're bang-bang fast in taking orders, pouring beers (often two at a time), making change and moving on. I don't get why the other windows and booths can't operate the same way. Maybe they need a consultant from McDonald's to show them how to manage a fast-food operation.

That's fine, to each their own, but I was merely pointing out my experience at Miller wasn't anything notably better or worse than the Cell, but I'll also admit maybe I'm not the right guy to talk to about this as I don't need to be dazzled or wowed by the "gameday experience" or have an usher hold my hand all night long. Is there a game? Check. Is someone going to bring me a hot dog and a beer? Check. OK, I'm happy.

Sure, I don't need anything more than the game, but that doesn't mean I don't want a little more for my money. Little things like a friendly staff who seems to actually give a **** that you paid money to come to the ballpark goes a long way.

And the parking people are just ridiculous. I love how they come around the lots and shoo you out right after the game. Great, so I can just sit in a long line of cars waiting to get out? I understand them not wanting people to just hang out all day, after all they have homes to get back to as well, however use a little common sense and take a glance at the lines out of the lots first.

Heck, going to just about any other team's home game and then going to a Sox game is jolting. Sox are easily the worst in terms of overall quality, friendliness, and helpfulness of their staff that I've seen at a MLB game.

I can't disagree. It's like everyone who works there would rather fans weren't there.

__________________
Ridiculousness across all sports:

(1) "You have no valid opinion because you never played the game."
(2) "Stats are irrelevant. This guy just doesn't know how to win."

They were doing the 6th inning ticket check in my section, too. (Section 153.) The two couples in front of us were juggling helmet tacos, margaritas, brats, and a gift shop spree on their laps when the usher asks for tickets. I don't care if they had standing room, these guys had about $300 of concessions in their laps. Cut em some slack.

The parking lots are brutal. I did my usual Park and Ride location in Lot A, so I got there at 8:00AM, but one of us left in about the 8th inning to go back to the cars and Security was shagging him out of the lot BEFORE THE GAME WAS OVER.

I was a big complainer about the concession folk a few years ago, but I do think they have gotten better. You still will find one of the older ladies who are mystified by gift cards and credit carrds, but I give them a break. The end of game experience is obnoxious. Souvenier stands closed, the bums rush in the Bullpen Bar and Bicardi's, the "gates are closing" announcement and the general herding of folks after the game drives me crazy. With the way traffic works, nobody is going anywhere for a while. Let em stay, and relax.

Much like anyone who has to deal with the general public, many ushers HATE the general public. This is, of course, because the general public sucks. Do I think it gives them a license to act like asses? No. But I get it.

I made the mistake of getting down to the area just after 2pm because the damn cold made me think twice about getting there too early. Oh my god. I didn't even get in the game until bottom of the 2nd. I spent over an hour just trying to figure out where the overflow parking was, and when I realized how far it was I gave up on it. I usually park in the lot by the hot dog joint where people tailgate, so when I saw the hot dog joint parking was $60, I should have realized something was up and just street parked then. Once I got on the east side of the Ryan I was screwed for a good long while. I couldn't even get back across until Cermak since 26th was closed. And then of course I wound up back on the Ryan instead of making my left a turn later to get to Canal so I had to do it all over again.

I finally street parked at 28th and Normal and had to hoof the mile walk after the game started. Never had an experience like this in the last 4 opening days I've been to. I may seriously have to reconsider going next year if someone getting there two hours before the game still waited 20 minutes to get in the lot. The only plus of street parking so far away was I got on the Stevenson fairly quickly.

Oh, and did they change the urinals? They seemed to have normal ones now that you can stand close too rather than the low bowls that you basically stood near and have your junk on display for everyone. Only downside I could see is they are all probably too high for kids.

Maybe I'm missing something, but I've never noticed anything different about the staff or "ballpark experience" when I've been to Busch- old or new, Coors or Kaufman.

That's basically what I'm saying, though I will admit that when I went to a game at Coors last year, I did like the experience there more than at the Cell because the area around Coors is very nice and lively. My wife and I walked to the park from the hotel we were staying in and it felt like you were in an actual city neighborhood, as opposed to the Cell, in which it feels like you're walking through Schaumburg, Rosemont, or somewhere else as equally awful.

Maybe I'm missing something, but I've never noticed anything different about the staff or "ballpark experience" when I've been to Busch- old or new, Coors or Kaufman.

The difference I note is how fresh/warm the food is, how quickly lines move, that kind of a thing. That said, there might be as much variance in the same park depending on when you are there in the season, or from one season to the next, than there is between different parks.

I also like to walk around a ballpark if I haven't been there before, or if I get there early just to see the variety of concessions and things like that. That's not possible at every park.

The parks outside of Chicago I have been to the most often (that are still standing) are Coors Field, Turner Field, and Nationals Park. The design and overall ballpark experience at each I have found to be quite similar.

That's basically what I'm saying, though I will admit that when I went to a game at Coors last year, I did like the experience there more than at the Cell because the area around Coors is very nice and lively. My wife and I walked to the park from the hotel we were staying in and it felt like you were in an actual city neighborhood, as opposed to the Cell, in which it feels like you're walking through Schaumburg, Rosemont, or somewhere else as equally awful.

I loved the Coors Field neighborhood. I need to get back there.

Coors was probably the first different ballpark I went to that made me take notice of how great and friendly the employees were.